“Alice, I thought you were coming over in the morning.”

“It’s good to see you, too, Bette. And, for the record, 11:50am is still morning.” Alice craned her neck around, searching the room. “Is she still here?”

Bette sat Angelica down on a play rug on the living room floor. She sat with the child, and picked up a thick child’s book, holding it out for her daughter. “Who, Alice?”

“Well,” Alice took a seat on the couch. “The way you went scooting out of the bar, following Miss Thang last night, I thought maybe you talked her into coming back here and moving in with you.”

“I do not scoot.”

“Potato, Potatoh. But you did take off after Tina.”

“I…” Bette stopped speaking, taking a moment. “I did go to talk to Tina as she left.”

“Uh huh. Talk.”

“Okay, I kissed her.”

“Bette.”

“I know. But, I’d been drinking….”

“Bette.”

“And she told me to,” she whispered the next two words, “fuck off.”

“She did not say that.”

“No, she didn’t. But she also said she wouldn’t come home with me.”

Alice crossed her legs and sat back, pulling a magazine from her bag. “Good for her.”

“That’s not helping, Al.”

“And you two jumping in the sack would help?” Alice pulled out her cell phone. “Hello? Bette Porter – this is reality calling.” She put the phone down. “Unless I miss my guess, didn’t I help you commit a felony recently for another woman?”

“That’s a big part of why Tina said no.”

“Good for Tina.”

“It’s confusing, Al.”

“What’s more confusing? Having a long-distance relationship, or seeing your ex hit on by half the women in WeHo?”

“I am not jealous.”

“Not now, maybe; but the green-eyed monster was certainly your friend after a few shots on Friday night.”

Bette sat back, remaining on the floor but propping herself on the couch. “This is intercoursed.”

“Good word.”

“Tina’s coming over tonight. What do I say?”

“Depends on what you want to say.”

“Meaning?”

“Well, do you want to say,” Alice ticked off the choices on her fingers, “I was really drunk and jealous and just wanted to sleep with you so that no one else did, or do you want to say I really do want to get back together my recent behavior not withstanding.”

“It’s not like it’s just her accepting, you know. I’m not against her having a relationship. I was okay with her dating Kate.”

“Yeah, that’d never have worked out, so no surprise you were for it.”

“It might have.”

“Had Tina been just a little bit interested and Kate been a little less full of herself.”

Bette shot Alice a look, which Alice ignored as she continued the thought, “then again, sometimes Tina’s into women who are full of themselves.”

“Regardless, she helped me win back Jodi.”

“She helped you because she knows you better than you know yourself, and she’d probably do anything for you.”

“Like find someone else?”

“Yeah, like that. Can’t you see she’s still taking care of you?”

“That doesn’t make sense, Al.”

“It does if you would realize that she loves you, Bette.”

“You weren’t kidding when you told me this, when we were going for the sign.”

“Oh, now you listen.”

“Then, it gets worse.” Bette pulled out a PDA. “Jodi sent me a text this morning.” Bette pushed a few buttons and passed the device over to Alice.

Next weekend can’t come soon enough. All my love. –J.

“Trouble.” Alice passed the device back. “Have you responded?”

Bette buried her face in her hands and stifled a moan of anguish.

Watching her mother, Angelica came over, placing a book in her lap.

“I’ll read this, honey.” Alice grabbed the book and the toddler. “Mommy’s having a little meltdown right now.”

“Whatever I do, Alice, someone’s not going to be happy.”

“Yeah, but Bette, will you be?”

(the end)